Music
Ludlow Creek, Gary Pratt and Ashley Puckett Win Big at The 2022 ISSA Awards
The 2022 ISSA (International Singer Songwriter Association) Award winners have been announced and winners include Ludlow Creek, Gary Pratt and Ashley Puckett.
On Saturday, August 6th the 2022 International Singer Songwriter Association (ISSA) Awards Winners were announced. Among the winners were MTS Management Group artists, Ludlow Creek (Silver – US Band Album), Gary Pratt (Silver – US Male Emerging Artist) and Ashley Puckett (Gold – US Female Emerging Artist.) Dayton, Ohio’s Ludlow Creek won for their album, “Hands Of Time,” while Pittsburgh, PA’s Gary Pratt was recognized for his “Something Worth Remembering” collection and Puckett, also from Pittsburgh, for her “Never Say Never” album release.

The Awards Ceremony was held at Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, GA. The ISSA was founded by industry veteran, Tamanie Dove, daughter of Tree Music Publishing legend, Carole “Mama” Dove.

Other winners included Hunter Lott, 308 Ghost Train, and Tom Tikka. A full list of winners is available at https://issasongwriters.com/2022-issa-awards-winners/.

ABOUT THE ISSA: The International Singer Songwriters Association is dedicated to supporting and serving independent artists and encouraging aspiring and professional singers and songwriters in all genres of music worldwide. For more information, please visit www.issasongwriters.com
Artist Spotlight
KENTON journeys through family, identity and healing in “Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” (EP)
“Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” is an extremely reflective acoustic EP that guides you through its six tracks as it explores memory, identity, and emotional reconciliation. Created at a moment of deep discovery, the project reveals KENTON’s process of forgiving others, of realizing who he is within himself, and of internally processing what he experienced as a queer Asian American child growing up in the United States.
The EP opens with “I’m Breaking My Father’s Heart – Acoustic,” a gentle track about the disconnection between what parents desire and what you believe is true. “Never Born – Acoustic” is inward-looking, exploring the existential uncertainty of financial suffering at home and prayers that hang in the air, unanswered.
“Let Light In – Live” is a release that captures emotional awakening, where letting go of past pain is the first step toward recovery. “Without You – Acoustic” is one of the most affecting moments on the EP, which recounts a tough relationship with a sick father. “Wannabe American – Acoustic” laments the falseness of the American Dream and how it commodifies the Asian identity.
On the final song, “The Times – Acoustic,” KENTON directs strength toward a message of survival, hope, and endurance in an emotionally suffocating world. “Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” is also the voice of the collective, and it’s a gift to immigrant and queer youth searching for belonging in spaces that often do not welcome them.
Photo credit: Ricky Chavez
Connect with KENTON on Website | Spotify | Instagram | TikTok
Artist Spotlight
Terrell Journey rewinds emotion and identity in cinematic EP “Retrograde”
The new reflective R&B EP, “Retrograde” by Terrell Journey, transports us back to the emotional origins of his Journey Digital Supercharged universe. It’s a cinematic prequel defined by tension, clarity, and artistic reinvention.
As a prequel to the famed Journey Digital Supercharged collection, it builds on Terrell Journey’s vision of a musical universe with separate but connected story worlds beneath that umbrella in the Journey Digital Saga. This project is a shift in point of view, and “Retrograde” examines the moments before acceleration, the tension and clarity that happens before everything moves forward.
The EP’s opening track, “Me vs Me,” invites introspection and sets the stage for the project. “Tit 4 Tat” sharpens the tension, while “We Listen and Don’t Judge” creates a space cleared by honesty and emotional control. “Run A Boston” feels fast and intentional, harnessing the force of movement before the EP enters what is its most personal closing stretch.
“Steal Your Heart” is a melodic peak that combines emotional tug with elegant R&B textures. “Love” closes the EP on a warm, resonant note that sounds resolved and open-ended. “Retrograde” expands Terrell Journey’s kaleidoscopic world by making introspection a narrative, and it serves as a crucial link between reflection and the forward momentum of Journey Digital Saga.
The EP challenges you to consider themes of internal conflict, emotional honesty, and change. This continues to cement Terrell Journey’s track record for creating in-universe sets of R&B storytelling narratives.
Connect with Terrell Journey on Website | Spotify | Instagram | X | TikTok
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